Best of 2017

I don't have a "Best Of" list. (I'll put that on the To Do List for 2018.) If I did, it would have to include Morning Brew from O.H.S.O. Brewery. Being the last day of the year, and since everyone else is doing it, I thought I'd mention a few beers I found memorable from 2017. Morning Brew was the first to come to mind. I tried this at their location in Terminal 2 of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. A coffee-infused beer but pale in color, Morning Brew starts with light malt and finishes with the flavor of a light-roasted coffee.

I love the roasted flavors of a dark coffee beer but Morning Brew was unique. The coffee flavor was undeniable but the light, blonde color was unexpected. The relatively low alcohol content (4.5%) made made Morning Brew a perfect breakfast beer.

My favorite brew in Hawaii was Hana Hou Hefe from Waikiki Brewing Company. Equal parts malted barley and malted wheat with noble and tettnang hops, orange peel and strawberry purée added a soft and refreshing sweetness. At 6.55% ABV, it might be a little dangerous as an all day sipper but it was definitely worth a second pint or a growler fill at the very least.

From here? It's tough to single out a favorite but The People's Pilsner from Brothers Cascadia Brewing opened my eyes to pilsner. I always thought of pilsners as generally weak, uninteresting beers until I met The People's Pilsner. The combination of floor-malted barley and noble hops created a smooth, interesting, and flavorful beer. At 5.5% ABV, it was easily drinkable but not watery. It opened my eyes to pilsner and gave me the confidence to explore more in the pilsner lane.

My favorite collaborative beer was, in fact, a pilsner -  the r&R Pils a collaboration between Reuben's Brews and Rainier Beer. Pilsner and rye malts were combined with four different hops to create a hoppy variation on the pilsner theme. Light yet flavorful, and refreshing.

Maybe I do have a "Best Of" list after all. These were some of the beers that were memorable for me in 2017. I can't wait to discover my favorite beers of 2018.

Happy New Year!